General

B’Tselem’s new report “This is Apartheid,” asks Israelis to confront a painful reality that Palestinians have lived and described for decades. Those who think it’s easier to look away or…

What was warned about has come to pass. The spread of the virus is forcing us to confront the dire reality in Gaza.

In effect, this is a sweeping, disproportionate and cynical decision because it’s exploiting a plethora of circumstances to exacerbate a long-term policy that has branded Gaza a tainted territory, a penal colony, an isolated enclave.

At first glance, it might seem like the coronavirus pandemic spared the Gaza Strip. With just 76 verified cases, one death, and no documented community spread, the Gaza Strip indeed might be considered lucky. It might even seem like the closure, enforced by Israel and Egypt, which normally strangles the population, has for once been advantageous. Schools stayed shuttered after closing in March like much of the rest of the world, but the beaches and restaurants are now open, and families and others can gather for the holiday.

A few years ago, when Razan (real name withheld) finished five years of medical school at the prestigious Cairo University, she returned home to the Gaza Strip. After completing her year of practical training in hospitals in Gaza, she planned to take the Palestinian Medical Board exam and receive her license to practice medicine in the Palestinian health care system. The board exams are held twice a year in Ramallah.